Case against Nathdwara Temple Manager for swindling charity fund

Udaipur : The Anti Corruption Bureau has registered a case against a manager of the famous Nathdwara temple board at Rajsamand for misappropriating cash received as donations to a tune of Rs. 14.70 lakh rupees in past seven years.

Following a complaint, the ACB registered the offense against Dinesh Kumar Joshi, Manager (Administration) of the temple board who has been accused of swindling funds received directly in his saving bank account from devotees who had given money in charity for cowshed (gaushalas). Joshi had been holding the position for past 15 years. “ We had got a complaint against Joshi for deceiving the devotees and receive money from them in the name of charity. The temple board held an inquiry in the complaint and found the charges to be true and dismissed Joshi. The case has been registered under section 420, 467,468, 471 of the IPC and section 13(1)D and 13(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act 1988” said Mahaveer Singh Ranawat, Additional SP, ACB. During the investigations it was found that Joshi used to develop personal contacts with the devotees who came from far and wide here for the Darshan. Afterwards developing a cordial relation, he would convince them to donate funds for cow care of the temple gaushalas.

The accused had given details of his personal saving account number instead of the temple bank account to the devotees and had received large funds during 2006 to 2013. His bank details showed that Joshi had received 2.16 lakh rupees during September 2006 to March 2010 and further cash transactions of 12.54 lakh rupees had been done during April 2010 to September 2013. The matter came into light when a text message which Joshi had intended to send to one of the devotees, mistakenly was sent to the mobile number of one of the board member. This person reported the case to the temple board who initiated an enquiry and found the charges to be true. Joshi has been suspended from his post.